Puget Sound Radio received word this morning from Don Shafer, the man behind Roundhouse Radio in Vancouver, telling us, they’re hoping to launch the first week of October
News of the launch date is something I’ve been trying to determine all this past week. Their Twitter feed is a-buzz of different guests coming in for interviews as well as off-air rehearsals. Their website, which it appears just launched this week, gives a thorough overview of the various shows and hosts. But what’s the hold up on the Industry Canada testing? Someone in the know tells me the transmitter is all ready to go. At least now we have a definitive answer on a projected launch. This whole rollout is fascinating on another level. Using social media to build and promote a new radio station would have never been done five years ago. The question still remains, however. Will the buzz transfer from the Twittersphere onto the FM dial?
Donovan, thanks for the note and questions.
They are the same ones that keep me up at night. We have few secrets and I’m happy to dig into them anytime online or on the phone.
Writing the application was frankly the easy part.
Breathing life into “our sound, look and feel” is a lot tougher. Made easier with an incredibly talented team from various creative fields and if rehearsals are any indication it’s going to be a lot like the sound in our head. It’s naturally a work in progress as we work out our technical and production issues finding our voice.
We have been delayed due to six attempts to find a new antenna and tower location . We finally have approvals from the City of Vancouver, CRTC and the last hurdle was from Industry Canada which arrived this week. We are awaiting an install date for tower crews whose best guess is late September with testing early October. Fingers and toes crossed…
The delays were really gifts for us to get closer to the street, community groups and retailers and it may have helped with the buzz. We are all humbled by the local support we have received.
A station all about the Vancouver seems to be resonating with everyone who lives, works and plays in the City and we are determined to live up to their expectations. The new website is just coming on line as we work on code, linkage, graphics and functionality. We have put a lot of time and talent into our web and reaching out on social media and we have no intention of slowing .
I hope you like our test reel that is currently playing as we build up our online and on air content. Please call or write anytime or better yet come by when time allows.
If Roundhouse is a success, could you see launching something similar in other cities? Which I guess leads to another question… do you think such an endeavour only works in a city as big as Vancouver?
Some Guy in BCRadio,
Everyone will have a different view of how successful we will be. There is a good chance that we will be the last ranked station in town for awhile with a pack of stations, talent and big money in front of us. It’s hard to know what kind of impact we will have, if our programming, marketing and work on the street will resonate and how quickly. Time will tell. I am naturally optimistic and encouraged by the support to date.
As for the format, Eric Rothschild called Roundhouse a return to a “full service radio station” and at the end of the day, it is. Not unlike the stations of the 20’s and 30’s it is very locally focused. Content and programming is specific and not “flattened” for the lower mainland or the larger market.
To answer your question directly, I think the more unique, original and local the more relevant radio will be. The more it goes to the middle doing the same thing everyone else is doing on air and online the more irrelevant it will become!
I ask because I don’t live in Vancouver but find what you’re doing exciting and interesting. I would love for it to succeed and spread.
In my mind, a station dedicated to covering nothing but local issues requires a much larger staff than we’re used to in modern radio to feed the content — since I gather there isn’t an ability to rely on news wires and network programming. I love the idea of getting away from the reliance on such things. But I wonder how viable such a large staff would be in a market anything smaller than Vancouver? Anyways, just the thoughts of someone watching from someone outside the Lower Mainland.
You’ve probably seen some of my pieces on BCAA conferences here on PSR. If you would be willing, I’d be honoured to write a piece about Roundhouse for the site. If there is a time that I could come in to the station, take a look (feel? :)) around, and get a better sense of what you’re doing, I would like to make it happen!
Donovan 604-803-3094
Donovan Tildesley looks after all your Insurance needs
News of the launch date is something I’ve been trying to determine all this past week. Their Twitter feed is a-buzz of different guests coming in for interviews as well as off-air rehearsals. Their website, which it appears just launched this week, gives a thorough overview of the various shows and hosts. But what’s the hold up on the Industry Canada testing? Someone in the know tells me the transmitter is all ready to go. At least now we have a definitive answer on a projected launch. This whole rollout is fascinating on another level. Using social media to build and promote a new radio station would have never been done five years ago. The question still remains, however. Will the buzz transfer from the Twittersphere onto the FM dial?
Donovan, thanks for the note and questions.
They are the same ones that keep me up at night. We have few secrets and I’m happy to dig into them anytime online or on the phone.
Writing the application was frankly the easy part.
Breathing life into “our sound, look and feel” is a lot tougher. Made easier with an incredibly talented team from various creative fields and if rehearsals are any indication it’s going to be a lot like the sound in our head. It’s naturally a work in progress as we work out our technical and production issues finding our voice.
We have been delayed due to six attempts to find a new antenna and tower location . We finally have approvals from the City of Vancouver, CRTC and the last hurdle was from Industry Canada which arrived this week. We are awaiting an install date for tower crews whose best guess is late September with testing early October. Fingers and toes crossed…
The delays were really gifts for us to get closer to the street, community groups and retailers and it may have helped with the buzz. We are all humbled by the local support we have received.
A station all about the Vancouver seems to be resonating with everyone who lives, works and plays in the City and we are determined to live up to their expectations. The new website is just coming on line as we work on code, linkage, graphics and functionality. We have put a lot of time and talent into our web and reaching out on social media and we have no intention of slowing .
I hope you like our test reel that is currently playing as we build up our online and on air content. Please call or write anytime or better yet come by when time allows.
ds
Hey Don Shafer…
If Roundhouse is a success, could you see launching something similar in other cities? Which I guess leads to another question… do you think such an endeavour only works in a city as big as Vancouver?
Some Guy in BCRadio,
Everyone will have a different view of how successful we will be. There is a good chance that we will be the last ranked station in town for awhile with a pack of stations, talent and big money in front of us. It’s hard to know what kind of impact we will have, if our programming, marketing and work on the street will resonate and how quickly. Time will tell. I am naturally optimistic and encouraged by the support to date.
As for the format, Eric Rothschild called Roundhouse a return to a “full service radio station” and at the end of the day, it is. Not unlike the stations of the 20’s and 30’s it is very locally focused. Content and programming is specific and not “flattened” for the lower mainland or the larger market.
To answer your question directly, I think the more unique, original and local the more relevant radio will be. The more it goes to the middle doing the same thing everyone else is doing on air and online the more irrelevant it will become!
Hope that helps…
Mr. Schafer:
As we have come to expect from you, an honest, no b.s. answer. Thank you.
I agree the idea of going to other markets is far too early to say.
Let’s see if it works in Vancouver, first.
If it does take off, don’t be surprised if you are emulated by the competition.
The only concern that many have is with the reach.
We hope that your signal is listenable to most parts of Vancouver.
TRD
Thanks for the responses.
I ask because I don’t live in Vancouver but find what you’re doing exciting and interesting. I would love for it to succeed and spread.
In my mind, a station dedicated to covering nothing but local issues requires a much larger staff than we’re used to in modern radio to feed the content — since I gather there isn’t an ability to rely on news wires and network programming. I love the idea of getting away from the reliance on such things. But I wonder how viable such a large staff would be in a market anything smaller than Vancouver? Anyways, just the thoughts of someone watching from someone outside the Lower Mainland.
Don,
You’ve probably seen some of my pieces on BCAA conferences here on PSR. If you would be willing, I’d be honoured to write a piece about Roundhouse for the site. If there is a time that I could come in to the station, take a look (feel? :)) around, and get a better sense of what you’re doing, I would like to make it happen!
Donovan 604-803-3094
Donovan Tildesley looks after all your Insurance needs